Businesses and The Emergency Ready Plan

Many businesses are not prepared to respond to a man-made or natural disaster. Statistics show that, of the businesses that close because of a disaster, at least one in four never reopens. Small businesses are particularly at risk because they may have all of their operations concentrated in one location that is damaged or destroyed. That is why disaster planning is a critical part of every business’ operational objectives.

To help keep small businesses “open for business,” SERVPRO® has developed The Emergency Ready Plan (ERP), a streamlined business continuity program that gives business owners tools to better understand the risks they face; plan for how to contact key suppliers, vendors and employees; understand how to access data; and identify where to go for help after a disaster.

ERP is an essential tool not only for business continuity but also to help identify priorities and organize essential information. Once this initial step is done, the next focus should be on emergency preparedness and response planning—the specific actions and tasks needed to protect people and property from physical and economic damage should disaster strike, as well as those to be taken directly following a disruption to your business. Not having a plan, or a having poorly prepared or misunderstood plan, could lead to disorganized preparation or confused response, with the possibility of harm to your employees or property.